European Tombs

General

It is said that the competition between the Dutch and the British followed them even past death. They erected grand mausoleums instead of the normal tombstones in Europe, heavily influenced, ironically, by Hindu and Islamic elements belonging to the very natives to whom they were each trying to prove their superiority as colonizers. Next door to the British and Dutch cemeteries is the churchyard of the Armenians, another important trading community from the 16th century, whose tombstones are heavily inscribed, but forgo the superstructures of the other two communities.

The cemeteries have been declared as protected monuments, but they still show signs of deterioration, both from natural weathering and from human visitors. Photography is prohibited at the sites. They may be hard to locate, but you can ask the locals to guide you.

How to get there

By road: Surat lies 234 km from Ahmedabad, 131km from Vadodara, and 297 km from Mumbai. Bus stations, both ST and private, are on the eastern edge of the city.

By rail: Train stations are also on the eastern edge of the city.

By air: Various domestic flights connecting metros and other major cities are operational from the Surat Airport.